Dumbledore's Army
by Kvothe of Many Talents
Summary: ...Or the self-defence guide for underage wizards and witches. An excerpt from the book released by Kingsley's administration, eager to separate themselves from the mistakes of their predecessors.


Dumbledore's Army, or the Self-Defense Guide for Underage Wizards and Witches

A Short Introduction

During the Second Blood War, quite a number of young wizards and witches have played a crucial role in the downfall of You Know Who. The most famous among them is, of course, Harry Potter, but he was by no means the only one. Across all of Hogwarts and even beyond it, underage magic users fought against the tyranny of the Dark Lord with spell and word. They ran smuggling operations for muggleborns, shared information on the movements of Death Eaters and even fought in direct battle during the First and the Second Battles of Hogwarts.

This guide is designed to draw upon their experience and knowledge to provide a set of guidelines and simple instructions for any young witch and wizard that may find themselves faced with hostile wizarding forces. Please note that we are in no way encouraging breaking the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery or deliberately seeking out danger. As the name implies, this is a self-defense guide only.

" _If you get into a protracted duel with a trained adult wizard, your best option is to run away_." - States Neville Longbottom, head of the Hogwarts resistance force during the Year of Darkness. When asked to elaborate, he explains: " _More likely then not, they'll have more experience and a wider spell repertoire then you do. It's only a matter of time until they catch you off guard with some trick. Don't wait for that, the moment you get the chance – escape and get help. If no adult wizards are nearby, get your friends. Attack from different directions - even the best wizards would find it difficult to repel simultaneous assault from front and back."_

" _The most important thing in a fight is your reaction speed." -_ Says Ginny Potter, Longbottom's second-in-command. - _"Don't bother learning a thousand spells for each situation. Learn one – and use it well. Using spells in a fight is different than using them in a classroom. You don't have the time to take a deep breath, concentrate on wand movements and say every syllable of the incantation with perfect enunciation. Choose one spell and make it your own. Learn to cast it silently. Practice the wand movements a hundred, five hundred, a thousand times. Practice them before going to bed and first thing after waking up in the morning. Wake each other up in the middle of the night and repeat the movements once more. Then, when you're in danger, when your mind is overwhelmed by panic and your hand is shaking from adrenalin, your body will remember the training and recreate the spell as naturally as breathing."_

" _The best fight is one that ends with a single spell." -_ Concurs Alicia Spinnett.

" _Stupefy and Expelliarmus are probably the best spells for such a situation." -_ Expands on the topic Michael Corner, another member of the DA. - _"While it may be satisfying to make bats come from your opponent's nasal cavity or even blast them with a Reductor, those kinds of spells are more designed for laying the hurt on your opponent, rather than ending the battle swiftly. A life-or-death situation is not the place to indulge your emotional impulses, though by all means encourage your opponent to use them (using such tactics as taunting or insults). After all, you can still fight if you have a chunk of your leg missing. You can't if you're unconscious._

 _Stupefy is the perfect one-hit spell. Regardless of where you land the spell, even if it's on the little toe of their left foot (thank you, Lovegood, for demonstrating), your opponent is immediately taken out of combat – something no other spell (except for the Killing Curse) can accomplish._

 _Its downside comes from the fact that it's easily reversible. If you're faced with more than one enemy, a single Enervate would immediately bring him back on his feet. This is where Expeliarmus comes in._

 _While many scoff at the idea of using a second-year spell in a serious duel, the fact remains that a wizard without his wand is helpless. I mean, yeah, he could get up close and punch you in the face, but come on – if you have a wand and still let him get that close, then no amount of advice would help you. When faced off against multiple opponents, Expeliarmus is the spell you want – especially if you're fast enough to grab, summon or destroy the wand in flight."_

" _Reductor does have it's place in a duel." -_ Adds Cho Chang. - _"When your opponent uses solid shields or hides behind obstacles, blasting them apart destroys the cover and disorients your foe from the close explosion and shrapnel. Even more useful would be transfiguring it into something hostile, but I doubt any of us (except maybe Granger) have even a fraction of skill required for combat transfiguration."_

" _Another major factor is reliability." -_ Snorts Seamus Finnigan, renowned for his explosive spells. _\- "Don't use a spell until you're completely certain you've got it, until you can cast it a hundred times and get a hundred successes. It'd be a bloody embarrassing way to go if your spell fizzles out that one time you need it most."_

" _You need to find your own dueling distance." -_ Muses Luna Lovegood, one of the first members of DA. - _"A distance that's close enough for Wrackspurts to interfere with their reaction to your spells, but far enough that_ you _can react and dodge any of theirs."_

" _Yeah, dodging's generally the best way." -_ Agrees Hannah Longbottom. - _"Not only does it mean you don't have to spend time trying to guess what spell the guy's casting from his words and wand (and whether it'll go right through your shield), but most folks tend to become vulnerable as they wait to see if their spell hit the target. Dodge and hit – that's the way to go."_

" _The one exception is when you're fightin' several wizards at once." -_ Grumbles Ron Weasley, one of the founders of DA and a close friend of Harry Potter. - _"Then you don't have the bloody time to dodge every sodding spell. Cast a shield charm and hold it until you see an opening. Just look out for that green light – that bugger goes right through your shields."_

" _Make note of the area around you and remember that not everything is what it seems when it comes to magic."_ \- Mentions Lavender Brown. - _"Wizards can turn into animals, furniture or other people, invisibility cloaks exist and magical creatures can attack from unexpected angles. The most dangerous werewolf is the one you don't see."_

" _Some of the most useful advice is just common sense." -_ Shrugs Hermione Granger, known as the smartest witch of her generation. - _"Don't fight around muggles, don't use spells you don't know, and always carry around some Floo powder for emergencies."_

In the end, there's no replacement for sheer experience, which is why this book provides all the experience in the world for its underage readers. Each chapter will look into a single aspect of magical self-defense, complete with advice, examples and quirky quotes of real life wizards and witches who fought in the Second Blood War despite being underage.

So turn the next page and get ready to immerse yourself in the world of magical combat!


End file.
